Ghost
by Chaotica
Summary: Basically what if Kitty had gone with Lance. It completely alters the chain of events. Rateing may go up.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm going to paraphrase a lot in the first part. I only saw that second episode once and can't really be expected to know the exact dialogue without at least a second viewing. So, you know, don't freak out on me if I get parts wrong, just go with it.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own nuthen'...so nyah!  
  
Ghost  
  
She looked at her parents and the girl who had come in with them. The girl who was a freak just like she was.  
  
"Come on Kitty, you belong with me!" Lance pulled her arm wrenching her away.  
  
She panicked, what now? She gave a look to her parents. They wouldn't understand, couldn't understand. Lance understood, he was like her, but then so was that other girl. But what had she done for her? Nothing, but Lance had.  
  
Her steps were halting as he pulled her farther away. She should stop, phase out of his grip, go home.  
  
Home.  
  
God what was she thinking? They couldn't accept her at home, he father wanted to forget anything had happened for crying out loud!  
  
She stopped resisting and went putting her other hand on his arm.  
  
He smirked at this but suddenly stopped and narrowed his eyes. The door in front of them was locked. He kicked it hard and let his concentration click over to pulling at the earth under the building.  
  
"Wait Lance!"  
  
The voice cut through his mind letting the power slip and fall still. What the hell?  
  
She pulled on him and he felt slightly disconnected as they passed through the door coming out the other side.  
  
"Whoa." He jerked back from her grip and looked too shocked for words. The look on her face made him twinge in a little guilt. "That was."  
  
"Weird?" She asked shakily.  
  
"Yeah, a little." He reached for her hand again finding it solid. "We should get outta here."  
  
She followed with little provocation this time, fleeing from the quickly arriving police and fire trucks alerted to the damage Lance had already done.  
  
She couldn't help but feel a little sick. But this wasn't just running away, this was survival, wasn't it? She glanced at the boy she was following. Could he take care of her like he promised? He was strong yes, but, oh what was she thinking? They were in so much trouble!  
  
"Well, where do you two think you're going?"  
  
Lance pulled Kitty behind him at the sound of the voice glaring hard at the woman. "Who are you?"  
  
"Let's just say I'm here to help my little Avalanche." She said as her form shifted into that of a woman with blue skin and red hair. "You and your little ghost friend."  
  
***  
  
Kitty sat quietly in the car. She had no extra clothes, no possessions, no nothing. Just what she was wearing, and Lance.  
  
He was beside her in the back seat in pretty much the same position as far as all that went. He couldn't get back to his foster home because the place had been crawling with cops but their new 'guardian' assured the two she would arrange for the majority of their things to be retrieved.  
  
This 'Mystique' woman made her a little nervous, but she did promise to keep the two safe. And until Kitty could stop and think more that's all she needed.  
  
She jumped when and arm snaked over her shoulders. "Hey." He said quietly. "You okay?"  
  
She nodded and felt him lean closer.  
  
"Don't worry Kitty. I'm here too." He gave a wary glance to Mystique who was driving. She didn't seem to be paying attention and had the radio playing softly. So he pressed further taking the opportunity to smell her hair wondering how much he could get away with so soon. "I'll always be here." He wasn't sure if he meant it, but it seemed to calm her. Of course he wouldn't mind, she was cute and all, and had a pretty useful power.  
  
He shifted as she leaned in. If only they were alone, there was another thing he wouldn't mind from her that he just couldn't risk with an adult present. So he resigned himself to a little fantasy about this pretty-kitty beside him and what he could do with her in the back of a car.  
  
***  
  
Mystique stood stiffly in her room. "I know she's unexpected but, we can use her can't we?"  
  
"Indeed we can. But her resolve must be greater than it is. We may still lose her."  
  
"Of course." She nodded to her leader. "Though if I might ask, what of Rogue?"  
  
"She can wait a moment more. We have others to gather. Just do your job."  
  
"Yes sir." She felt him more than heard him leave. After she was certain he was gone she opened the door into the hall and listened.  
  
Down bellow she could hear Lance and the girl Kitty in the living room. The front door came open, Toad no doubt.  
  
The voices rose in volume as the Mutants converged. She made her way down the stairs to quell any confrontations. "Children, please."  
  
Lance was up hackles raised at Todd who had apparently made a pass at Kitty. The girl was vaguely disgusted and up off the couch arms crossed.  
  
"Hey, how was I supposed to know she was your girl? I wasn't even expect'n you yo." Toad was clinging to the corner of the ceiling and the wall between the foyer and the dining room.  
  
"Well now you do! And just to make sure you remember it." His foot hit the floor with an unusually loud thud. The house shook vaguely before it nearly jumped off its foundation.  
  
"Stop this immediately!"  
  
The shaking ended with Lance giving her an indifferent look.  
  
She brushed herself of dust that had fallen from the ceiling. "Toad, I'd like you to meet Avalanche, your new teammate. And you." She motioned to Kitty who came forward. "While we weren't expecting you we do have a place for you in our home and on this team. Do you accept?"  
  
Kitty fidgeted a moment. "You helped me back there. So I'll stay, I'll help."  
  
Mystique smiled darkly and put a hand on the girls shoulder. "Then welcome to the brotherhood, Ghost." 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Yes, early I forgot to mention this is a Lance/Kitty fic. And now you know! Hoorah.  
  
Side note: I'm writing this with the episodes as best I can, this one takes place between 'The X-Impulse' and 'Rogue Recruit', uh, on the weekend...yeah, that's right, that's my excuse. I do realize the first chapter was, uh, slow, it's basically a 'carry over' that will lead to more. Explanatory chapters are always slow, live with it. Also, I'm lousy with accents other than Southern, so just pretend Kurt has one, I'll supplement what I can but I seriously don't want to look like a frigging noob and get his wrong.  
  
Ghost  
  
Lance sat on the porch, obviously brooding. Sure, he didn't have any great home life to leave behind but still. This was a change.  
  
Mystique had given them all the speech on what the 'Brotherhood of Mutants' was all about. The base of it was that normal Humans were going to hate them all just because they were different. That they would be hunted for being 'Mutants' and every normal Human in existence was the enemy.  
  
Sounded kind of like brainwash talk to him at first. But the more he thought about it the more it made sense. How many times had he lost control and been stared at like he'd just grown another head when his quakes subsided?  
  
He barely registered the front door opening behind him. Light footsteps stopped just behind his back and someone tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
At first all Lance could do was stare. "Kitty?"  
  
She smiled in that innocent 'look-at-me-I'm-cute' way. "You like?" Her long hair hung in a ponytail as usual, but its now black color glimmered oddly in the light making her as pale as the Ghost she was now named for. She no longer wore a pink sweater over a pale shirt. A sort of black semi-spider web designed over-shirt hung loosely over a red tank top that was artfully designed to dip low, but not low enough. Her jeans were changed out for a darker colored pair with a shimmering black belt.  
  
After a long moments silence her face fell. "You hate it don't you."  
  
"Uh no!" Lance stammered standing up suddenly. "No, it's just a shock."  
  
She toyed with the edge of the loose over-shirt. "I just, you know, thought I should have a change. That redhead girl would recognize me in a second when I show up in school on Monday looking like I always do. This way it'll at least take her awhile." She looked up at him hoping that he could understand her logic.  
  
"Hey, I like it. Looks good on you." Lance said trying not to be so obvious about his attempts to see just how low that neckline would go.  
  
She gave him a slight push. "Hey, like, cut it out." She couldn't help but smirk as she tried not to giggle, despite her new look she was still very valley girl on the inside. She descended the front steps flipping her hair teasingly.  
  
"I was, like, thinking about my new look for quite a while. Thought this would be a good change of pace, you know, cause of, like, my codename and all. Kind of always liked that Goth look, only you know, without the inches of makeup."  
  
A thump on the roof made her look up and shield her eyes from the sun to see better. "What are you doing?"  
  
Lance looked up at the sound as well, but lacking any form of x-ray vision he trounced down the front steps and backed his way towards Kitty trying to see who she was talking to.  
  
Toad waved looking a little sheepish. "Uh, nothing?" He asked climbing down the roof. He reached the edge and did a back flip to the ground landing a few feet from Kitty. "Hey Kitty-cat, nice threads."  
  
She rolled her eyes and turned to walk out to the road. "I'm like, taking a walk."  
  
Toad tilted his head as she took off obviously admiring the view. That is until Lance gave him a smack on the head. "Keep off." He growled.  
  
"Hey man, I don't think I'm the one you should worry about." Toad nodded down the street past Kitty. There on a far corner was a pair of figures the Bayville Native recognized. One was tall with a pair of red sunglasses while the other had blue hair and sort of seemed to shimmer at this distance. He gave Lance a sly look. "Betcha' they're after the Ghost-Girl."  
  
Lance glared as the two turned to follow Kitty a block back from her. She didn't seem to notice and even waved back at Lance and Todd as she disappeared around another corner.  
  
"We'll see about that." The taller Mutant said unable to stop the slight tremors as he stormed after the tailgaters.  
  
***  
  
Kitty found her way to the schoolyard with little trouble. They had driven by it on the way to the house. It looked nicer in the daylight though.  
  
She passed a tree and suddenly heard a strange 'bamf' sound on the other side.  
  
"Hi!"  
  
She ducked back away from the boy.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I startle you? I didn't mean to!" He smiled and waved timidly at her. "My name is Kurt, what's yours?" He didn't offer his hand to shake, and something was off about the way he held his fingers, she liked his accent though.  
  
"Uh, Kitty." She said clinging to the tree and keeping it as far between her and the boy as possible while also making sure he stayed in sight.  
  
"I haven't seen you before. Do you live around here?" He asked, he looked sort of Elven to her, his eyes tilted just a little bit too far for any normal person. It was actually kind of cute.  
  
"I'm new." She said circling back farther around the tree as he came closer.  
  
"Ja? So am I! I just arrived a few days ago." He brightened in an almost 'too cute' way. "Are you going to school here too? I will be."  
  
She couldn't help it and giggled, this guy was just too much even for a foreigner. "I guess so."  
  
His face suddenly fell, he almost snarled and disappeared around the tree.  
  
"Huh? Hey Kurt, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah Fuzzy, you okay?"  
  
She looked up sharply to see Toad leap up and land up near the branches of the tree.  
  
"You, what are you doing here?" Kurt demanded stooping in a position Kitty recognized as not very Human.  
  
"I'm watching out for the new girl freak-boy." He grinned down at Kitty. "C'mon, show Ghost what you really look like." His tongue lashed out striking Kurt's wrist, the inducer immediately fritzed and became useless.  
  
Kitty screamed at the sight making Kurt flinch and look around in terror incase anyone else was around. All he could see was Scott and the Alvers boy moving in at a run, almost like they were racing each other to the scene. He gave Kitty a last look before porting away.  
  
"Oh god, what was THAT?" She asked in near panic.  
  
"Kitty!" She turned to see Lance and some other boy with red sunglasses on.  
  
"Lance, what's going on?" Okay, this was scary, who, what was that other guy?  
  
Scott could still smell the telltale scent of the Nightcrawlers teleport but couldn't see where he'd gone. "Where's Kurt?"  
  
"Up here Scott!" Kurt called from farther up in the branches. He hoped the leaves would hide him well enough.  
  
"What the hell do you want with Kitty?" Lance asked pulling her behind him as he spoke. "I know you were following her so don't deny it."  
  
"We just want to talk to her." Scott said holding his hands up defensively. "We want to talk to you all."  
  
"You 'talked' to me once yo, almost got my neck broke by blue boy up here." Toad said jerking a thumb up at Kurt.  
  
"Hey, you started it frog."  
  
"Enough!" Lance clenched his fist, eyes rolling up in his head. The ground jerked sending the tree at an odd angle.  
  
Toad leapt from the tree while Kurt simply ported to Scott. A cracking sound in the wall of the school nearby sent bricks shaking dangerously. "Mission or no, we have to get out of here!" Kurt said before the two disappeared in a flash of sound and smoke.  
  
Lance practically tore Kitty from the scene. "Toad, who the hell were they?" He practically demanded of the smaller Mutant leaping madly along side them.  
  
"X-men, Summers is the leader boy and the blue guy." He paused. "I dunno what the hell HE is yo."  
  
Kitty phased from Lances grip and slowed her run. "Lance, I think we're far enough, slow down!" She slowed to a walk then stopped trying to catch her breath.  
  
Lance turned and jogged back to her glancing around for further trouble. "Did he hurt you?"  
  
"No, I'm fine. He just scared me is all." She crossed her arms and leaned in on him. "Can we go home now?"  
  
He didn't reply but put and arm around her and lead her back down the street towards the boarding house.  
  
Toad, for his part, stood up and scratched the back of his head taking off after them.  
  
***  
  
"I'm sorry, we failed Professor."  
  
"Ja."  
  
"She was just frightened."  
  
Kurt gave a small guilty sound. "Ja."  
  
"It's alright Scott." The Professor steeped his fingers and smiled kindly at his two students. "It was worth a try. Though I'm afraid Kitty will be much more inclined to stay with the Brotherhood at the moment. She's very afraid and has latched onto Lance for support." His wheelchair shifted back a little. "We can't force her to join our side. But we can be patient. You two are excused, though I think Logan wants to see you down below."  
  
He waited until both boys were gone before showing his disappointment. Kitty, or was it Ghost now? She more than likely wouldn't be joining the X-men anytime soon, or at all for that matter.  
  
He sighed and put the file he had of her away in his desk. Well, they couldn't all be wins and there were far more children to reach without chasing after one who positively wouldn't turn. But still, she would have been a great help, and she still had hope.  
  
He let the drawer close and reached for the next file. 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Fairly important reality changes that I don't want to write out in great detail! With no Shadowcat around Nightcrawler and Wolverine are paired off alone during 'Rogue Recruit'. Kurt still attempts to talk to Rogue. He gets a fair bit farther into the conversation without Kitty around to try and jump Rogue but he still spooks her and they accidentally come into contact anyway. Poor little Fuzzy gets help much later than he originally did. With no immediate frame of reference for the X-men to find Rogue Mystique is able to direct her out of the area much faster with more 'damage' done to her possible trust in the X-men. I'm also assuming Rogue lives with the Brotherhood at this juncture (you don't really see in the cartoon, that I can remember anyway).  
  
This chapter takes place just before and a little into 'Mutant Crush'. Fred is so the creepy stalker type...scary.  
  
Ghost  
  
Sunday night was fairly quiet after the ordeal in the schoolyard on Saturday. Kitty lounged on the couch one leg flung over the armrest and was staring aimlessly at the TV.  
  
She was mostly alone, Todd was around somewhere climbing all over the house inspecting it for insect life. She shuddered. That boy and his eating habits were creepy, and his hygiene had something to be desired, not that she could really blame him.  
  
Lance had said something about it last night and threatened to just throw the smaller Mutant into the shower. Todd had asked him quite seriously if he wanted to wait around for him to stop throwing up violently afterwards. Turns out soap soaked right through his skin along with everything else and made him act like a food poisoning victim for a few days.  
  
She shifted a little uncomfortably trying to find a better position when the front door banged open. She sat up and put both feet on the floor to see who it was.  
  
"Hey, is she okay?" She asked standing as Mystique half walked half dragged another girl into the house.  
  
"Quickly, help me lay her down."  
  
Kitty did as she was told and reached for the girls other arm.  
  
"Don't touch her skin!"  
  
She pulled away at the near scream. After a moment she reached in again and did her best to do as she was told. They eventually got the girl on the couch she looked terrible.  
  
"Too much too soon." Was all the older woman said before stalking into the kitchen to make a cold compress.  
  
Kitty turned back to the couch to get a better look at this other girl. She was obviously older than Kitty by maybe a year or two, her dark red hair marred by a white streak in her bangs. She was dressed in a lot of green and black in a much more gothic manner than Kitty had been able to manage just yet.  
  
She smiled calmly when the new girl stirred and opened her eyes. "Hi." She said softly unsure if the girl had a headache or something.  
  
Rogue sat up stiffly staring at Kitty in sheer terror. "Where am Ah? Who are you?"  
  
"She is called Ghost." Mystique said arriving from the kitchen with a wet towel in hand.  
  
Kitty backed up as she passed still a little weirded out by the woman.  
  
"She's a friend Rogue." The blue woman held the folded cloth to Rogues forehead and used it to push her back into a laying position. "You should rest." She turned pale eyes on Kitty. "Where are the other two?"  
  
"Uh, Toad's around somewhere and Lance went to the store up the block." She pointed vaguely in the direction he had gone.  
  
Mystique narrowed her eyes a moment. "Toad!"  
  
Something above them banged to the floor. A quick succession of thumps and Toad landed at the base of the stairs coming up in a crouched position. "What I do now?"  
  
"Nothing, yet." The older woman said. "Rogue, these are some people like you. They are Mutants with their own extraordinary power."  
  
The front door came open again.  
  
"Ah, Avalanche, how good of you to join us."  
  
Lance stared a little surprised to see her. He had a bag of some much-needed groceries in his hands. "Uh." He moved slowly unsure of what was going on.  
  
"Now for introductions. Everyone, meet Rogue. Rogue, this is Ghost, Toad and Avalanche." She motioned to each as she introduced them. She stood to her full height and shifted into the form of Raven Darkholme. "Kitty, you will be rooming with Rogue until further notice. I have other business to attend to." She gave Rogue a last smile. "Don't worry my dear, they'll take good care of you." She stalked to the door, brushing Lance aside rather indifferently. "I will return by tomorrow, hopefully with another member. Don't cause any trouble." She directed the last comment to Todd and Lance before closing the door behind her.  
  
Lance walked farther into the living room. "Man, that lady has issues." He said before looking at Rogue as she sat up again. "So what's your deal?"  
  
Rogue crossed her arms and glared, old walls coming back up full force. "W'y you wanna know?"  
  
Kitty grabbed Lance's arm. "Lance, don't those need to be, you know, put up?" She asked fluttering her eyes up at him.  
  
"Uh yeah." He started for the kitchen. "You wanna help me?" He asked over his shoulder.  
  
"Be there in a sec!" She waited until he disappeared through the dining room. Immediately after she spun to smile cheerily at Rogue. "So, hi." She said holding up her hand in greeting.  
  
Rogue looked away.  
  
"Like, I know you don't feel like talking. But Mystique is right you know, we'll help you." She sat on the other side of the couch from Rogue. "So, like, what's your real name?"  
  
"Rogue." She said dully.  
  
Kitty shrugged, okay maybe she'd get it out of her later. "Okay, then what's your power? Rogue doesn't really, like, tell you much you know?"  
  
Rogue didn't respond but did give her a 'like-hell-I'm-gonna-tell-you' look.  
  
"Okay, okay." Kitty stood up. "Fine, if it'll make you feel better I'll show you mine first." She walked over to the outside wall and waved at Rogue before slipping through.  
  
Rogue's eyes got a fair bit wider. "Hey, where'd'ja go?"  
  
"Up here!" Kitty hung herself halfway into the ceiling upside down. "They call me Ghost 'cause I can, like, walk through walls." She tried to lower herself slowly to the floor but fell landing on her knees. "I uh, haven't got that part figured out yet." She stood up looking sheepish.  
  
Rogue rubbed her hands together. "Mine's noth'n as good." She said getting up from the couch.  
  
"Oh come on, it can't be that bad. I mean, look at Toad, he's a frog-boy." She jerked a thumb at the stairs Todd had hopped back up when Mystique had left.  
  
Rogue smirked. "Okay, so it's not THAT bad." She held her hands in front of her clasped to her chest and sighed. "If I touch someone, I absorb them, their memories, their thoughts and powers if they have them." She said it very slowly, as if she had to pull it out by force and was just barely doing it.  
  
"Wow. That's pretty cool."  
  
"No it's not." Rogue turned her back to Kitty. "Ah hurt them when Ah do it. Ah put one boy in a coma already." She turned back still holding her hands protectively to herself. "And it doesn't last that long, but some of the voices are still there." She gave a small amazed snort. "Ah can still remember just how Cody felt when broke his arm after he fell out'a tree."  
  
Kitty reached out her hand stopping only momentarily when Rogue jerked back. She finally let it fall on the girls shoulder. "We won't fear you Rogue. You don't sound like the kind of person that would hurt anyone without a good reason."  
  
Rogue didn't quite smile, but it was better than a scowl.  
  
"C'mon, let's go see what kind of mess Lance made of the kitchen." She said leading the other girl out of the living room and into the rest of the house.  
  
***  
  
"Hey look, isn't that the Rogue?"  
  
Kurt looked up from his lunch. "Ja, and Ghost too."  
  
Scott blinked at the other Mutant's tone. He raised an eyebrow at the lovesick sound. "Kurt?"  
  
"Uh." Kurt scratched the back of his head. "Vas? She's cute."  
  
"Right." Scott said turning back to the two girls at a far table.  
  
They seemed to be talking animatedly with each other, Kitty giggling profusely while Rogue simply looked amused.  
  
"They seem to be getting along."  
  
"Ja."  
  
"I don't like it Scott, those two, infact all of them, they need something better than the Brotherhood." Jean said looking worried.  
  
"Ja."  
  
Scott looked at Kurt again, Jean did too, and then they looked at each other.  
  
Jean leaned forward. "And I just heard they're giving away free food on the Main-line."  
  
"Ja."  
  
Scott almost burst out laughing.  
  
"Kurt snap out of it!" She said giving him a playful push in the shoulder. "You're drooling a bit much there."  
  
Kurt grinned. "Sorry." He said impishly, trying his hardest not to get lost in the sight of Ghost again.  
  
"Ah, he's hopeless." Scott said. A commotion sprang up in another part of the cafeteria drawing their attention.  
  
At the table Kitty and Rogue had staked out they too were distracted by the sound of a table full of jocks getting slimed by randomly flung food.  
  
"Like, who's the big-boy?" Kitty asked pointing at the large new-transfer.  
  
"Dunno, he don't look normal though. You think he's who Mystique went after last night?" Rogue asked. She jerked back when a blob of food landed between them.  
  
"Oh man, I think we better get out of here." Kitty said getting up. "They're like throwing food like animals." She phased herself as an apple flew through her shoulder. "C'mon."  
  
Rogue tried to pull her hand back but Kitty grabbed it anyway phaseing the other girl to make it easier to grab her. "Just run okay?"  
  
They slipped through the wall into hallway bathroom. "Oh man, I got ketchup on my shirt."  
  
"Ah don't think anyone'll notice." Rogue said pulling a paper towel from the dispenser. "Just rinse it quick, it'll dry."  
  
Kitty cleaned off her shirt as best she could. Good thing she'd chosen the red tank top over the white one in her personal re-design.  
  
"Hey." Rogue said leaning on a sink. "Did you see that table, with the guy in the red sunglasses?"  
  
"Yeah." Kitty snorted trying to dry the spot on her shirt off without stretching it. "He's like, an X-man or something. They're creeps."  
  
"You had a bad experience with 'em too?"  
  
"Totally. The redhead like totally invaded my personal space. She read my mind." She shuddered.  
  
Rogue smirked. "Did'ja also see the kid with the hair staring at you with those big moon-eyes?"  
  
Kitty scrunched up her face. "Ew, like, he's totally freaky. He's totally not Human and all blue!" She looked around ducking down to check under the stalls. Satisfied no one was around she leaned in. "Don't tell anyone, but he is kinda cute." She straightened up. "And he's got this accent that is to die for."  
  
Rogue quirked an eyebrow. "I thought you had it for Lance. That's how it looked last night."  
  
Kitty blushed. "Yeah, of course I like Lance. He totally helped me back when I." She paused, her eyes unfocused. She turned back to her shirt. "When my powers started showing."  
  
Rogue turned from the subject. Things like that hurt.  
  
The bell rang telling the end of lunch.  
  
"Ugh, back to class." Kitty said patting the damp spot on her shirt.  
  
The bathroom door shut slowly. After the tardy bell sounded a far stall came open.  
  
Amanda slipped out of the stall book back weighing heavily on her shoulder. She mulled over the confusing things she'd just heard before dashing off to class, late as she already was. 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Everyone wants to know how Kitty takes to Boom-boom and Wanda. You'll have to wait and find out because I'm going with the episodes as far as I can when including the obvious reality changes. This one takes place after 'Speed and Spyke' during 'Middleverse', mostly cause I want nothing to do with the little porcupine, he's such a whiner. Also there comes a reality change, Kitty distracts both Rogue(by force) and Kurt(by just being there) enough through the day that Kurt never ports away from Scott in anger and Rogue never even comes close to accidentally sending the Fuzzy One into Middleverse. Hence, Forge does not get released. Poor Forgey...I'll find a way to get him out later, promise.  
  
Ghost  
  
Kitty made her way groggily to the bathroom. Showering and other morning rituals weren't that big a deal in the Brotherhood household. Fred and Toad had failing hygiene practices and Lance usually only showered at night before bed. So Kitty and Rogue had more than enough time and hot water between them in the morning.  
  
She halted mid-hallway when a blur passed by. Pietro crossed his arms suddenly a bare two feet in front of her. "Hey Kitty-cat, you still not up yet?"  
  
Oh yeah, she'd almost forgotten.  
  
"Damn it Pietro, can't a girl get ready in the morning without some egotistical freak bothering her?" She phased through him still determined to get to the bathroom.  
  
He turned on a heel nearly putting a burn mark down on the floor. "Aw, c'mon Kitty-kitty." He sped to her side. "Is that anyway to treat a teammate?"  
  
"Teammate? You got here *yesterday*."  
  
The speed demon shrugged. "Somyplanewasdelayed." He pointed at her. "You better just get used to me."  
  
"Already am." She phased through him again and passed through the bathroom door locking it when she came out the other side.  
  
She heard him take off, fast as he was his startups were as loud as anyone's.  
  
She took her shower and blow-dried her hair in time to hear Rogue knocking on the door. "I'm almost out." She called. Her makeup wasn't in the bathroom, too many guys around that would get curious about the little containers and just make a mess with them. She and Rogue had set up a sort of vanity table in their room that was big enough for them both to sit at.  
  
She unlocked the door and opened it holding her towel around her with one hand. "All yours."  
  
"'Bout damn time." Rogue muttered. She was such the morning person.  
  
"Like, you're welcome!" Kitty said in her sappiest tone as the door was shut in her face. She laughed and went back to her room. She pulled on one of many red tank tops she'd been able to dig out of a second-hand store and threw the spider-web like black top over it. She rather liked that last piece of clothing, it had been a lucky find hidden deep among the clothing in a bargain bin at the same second-hand store.  
  
Infact a lot of her new clothes were from places like that, along with everyone else's. The Brotherhood wasn't greatly financed. They had enough for food, some clothes and the bills but that was it. And the food wasn't always the best quality either.  
  
Thus was the life of the Brotherhood Mutants.  
  
She sat on her end of the impromptu vanity table, which was a stolen park bench set before a couple of mismatched end tables with a large mirror they'd wedged against the wall. Rogue had deeply influenced her new makeup choices to enhance how pale she was.  
  
After a while Rogue came in to change. Kitty averted her eyes from the mirror to the table as if she couldn't decide which lipstick to use.  
  
Rogue finally sat beside her preparing to apply her own makeup fully dressed and somewhat less grumpy.  
  
"Ah swear, that Quick-what's-it guy's a pest." Rogue muttered sifting through her various shades of dark purple eye shadow.  
  
"You know." Kitty said blotting her now dark red lips. "He keeps staring at you."  
  
Rogue gave her a 'no-really?' look. "Tha' only reason he don't stare at you is 'cause Lance can break his neck."  
  
Kitty snickered. "Yeah, okay, but still, it's better than Toad gawking right?"  
  
Rogue gave an exasperated sound. "Don't remind me."  
  
Kitty finished well before Rogue. "See you downstairs."  
  
"Uh huh." Rogue said trying not to jam her mascara in her eye.  
  
The other girl hopped down the stairs and dashed to the kitchen. Fred and Lance were already at the table and Toad was perched on the countertop by the trash. Kitty took the seat next to Lance and reached for some toast.  
  
Ah breakfast, toast, whatever was drinkable and oh hey look, bologna if you could stomach it.  
  
"Hey lovely people, who's up for a run before school?" Pietro was back apparently bored of whatever had been keeping his interest in the last fifteen seconds.  
  
Lance gave him a look and ate the last of his toast. "Only you." He said dully, he wasn't quite a morning person either but he was a damn sight less cranky than Rogue.  
  
And speaking of the devil. "Who's driv'n today?" Rogue asked pushing Pietro out of her way.  
  
Kitty caught the boy quirking an eyebrow at her with a fairly evil grin across his face.  
  
"I am." Lance said holding up the keys to the jeep.  
  
"Yo man, anyone got my English teacher? I gotta have a worksheet filled in by today." Toad asked before snagging a fly.  
  
"Oh gross frog-boy." Rogue said turning from the kitchen. "Ah think Ah jus' lost mah appetite." She disappeared around the corner.  
  
"Oh me too!" Pietro said speeding off after her.  
  
Kitty shook her head. "Like, Toad, can you be any worse?" She asked getting up to head for the fridge for some juice.  
  
"Probably." The small boy replied picking at his ear.  
  
Lance finally got up. "You guys got five minuets unless you all want to join Fred in detention today."  
  
Fred groaned. "I almost forgot about that." He got up picking up the last of his toast and bologna sandwiches and followed Lance.  
  
"I'll probably get it anyway yo. Those teachers got it out for me." Toad said letting himself down to the floor.  
  
She finished pouring a small glass of 'grape drink' and downed it quickly ignoring him. But she had to admit, he was probably right. As the only one of the Brotherhood that had grown up in Bayville most every teacher knew who he was and what kind of trouble he could cause.  
  
She put the container away and set her glass to the side before migrating to the living room to search for her book bag and hope Toad wasn't rummaging in it for something he could copy. Thankfully he was trying to bum a paper or two off Rogue instead.  
  
"Everyone head out." Lance said herding the others out the door.  
  
Pietro sped past them all waiting impatiently in the Jeep. "Hey, hey! Hurry up okay?" He stood in the Jeep waving them forward with a blur of arms. "C'mon! You guys move at six frames! Speed it up!"  
  
"Shut the hell up Pietro!" Rogue snapped reaching for him with an ungloved hand.  
  
Pietro wasn't stupid and hadn't been dropped into this collection of Mutants without a few things being explained to him. So immediately he escaped her soon to be contact before she was even close enough. "Heynowayyou'regonnadothat!" He fired off, but immediately he leered. "Not unless you're into the kinky stuff."  
  
"Ah god." Rogue huffed. "Get over yer self." She put her glove back on and trying to make room for Kitty with her in the front passenger seat.  
  
Kitty idly made sure she didn't accidentally expose any skin to Rogues own and glanced to the back. Fred took up the most of the back with Toad half perched, half clinging to the space beside him. Pietro seemed too energetic to be seated in one place for too long and was basically all over.  
  
Arrival at school became a godsend. Between Fred nearly crushing Toad, Pietro bouncing around the car like a hyper five-year-old but speaking like lecher and Rogue constantly pulling down her shirt and sleeves because of touch paranoia, the Jeep could be labeled a madhouse.  
  
"Alright, get out!" Lance snapped trying to undo his white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel.  
  
Kitty let the others take off without her. Rogue didn't have much time before her first class and Kitty could afford to be late. But what she was most worried about was Lance.  
  
Lance's ability gave him pretty bad migraines, too much stress triggered them just as well as forcing an earthquake.  
  
She climbed back into the Jeep into the back and put her hands on his shoulders. They were tense as all hell, it was a sure sign that he was building up to a blinding headache.  
  
"You gonna make it?" She asked in a faint whisper.  
  
He made a small 'erng' sound and shook his head. After a moment she rubbed his shoulders going slowly so she didn't aggravate the pain. After a few minuets he leaned back relaxing a little.  
  
She leaned forward and kissed him just under his ear. "Feeling better?"  
  
"Much."  
  
"You wanna just go home?"  
  
He nodded. "More than anything." He sat up and turned to look at her. "But I gotta stick around, if you-know-who finds out I ditched its double runs out on the trail."  
  
Kitty could only look sympathetic. They had no real training area and did most of their workouts on a disused hiking trail on the outside of town. "Well I'm totally sure she doesn't want you to like have an aneurysm in the middle of class."  
  
"Maybe she does." He opened his side door. "C'mon we gotta at least look like we want to be here."  
  
***  
  
Lunch had mercifully arrived and talk of Duncan's party was all over the place. On instinct Kitty wanted to go but quickly found out that Freshmen were not allowed. That and the reputation of Toad was soon stamped onto her along with the rest of her housemates.  
  
Kitty pulled Rogue away from her lonely gloom-and-doom session among the wooded area of the grounds to the main court.  
  
"Ah seriously don't wanna be here Kitty." Rogue said.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm just so used to having a big group around. Even if I didn't know all their names and got ignored most of the time. It was still nice. Besides you can read later, it's gawk at the boys time now."  
  
Rogue gave her a look but did notice that Pietro was showing off his speed on the concrete basketball court. He wasn't going full out on the poor normal humans but he was outstripping them by far.  
  
She suddenly spotted a far table with quite a few familiar faces.  
  
"Oh god. They're looking at us."  
  
"Who? Oh." Kitty stared coldly at the table containing the X-men. "Like I care."  
  
At said table Kurt was drooling again.  
  
"C'mon Kurt man, what's with you and that girl?" Evan asked sneaking the fuzzy Mutants milk away.  
  
"He's been like that for awhile now. Think he's comatose?" Scott asked staring down at his friend.  
  
"Don't worry about him. We have to worry about them." Jean said giving a mental nudge to the boys that she was talking about Kitty and Rogue. "How are we going to gain they're trust now?"  
  
Scott sighed. "Jean, you know the Professor said they have to join of their own free will or not at all. We just have to wait and see."  
  
"I suppose." She cast on last hopeful look at the two girls. But the bell rang for the end of lunch. Maybe time would help. 


End file.
